“Not with him,” Autumn whispered. “There’s something exciting and dangerous about Chains on a deep level. It’s much more than how hot he is. Dating him would be putting my heart at stake, and I don’t know if I can take that risk.”
“If you don’t, then you’ll always wonder what could have been. I’ve know you for several years, and I’ve never seen you this into a guy during all that time, and that includes Bret. I’m just saying, you should listen to your inner voice—your gut, and stop over analyzing it. Sometimes taking a risk is what brings ultimate love and happiness.” Sadie picked up the last piece of her brownie and brought it to her lips. “I’m just saying,” she said again before popping the bite into her mouth.
“I hear you… I just don’t know.” Autumn glanced at her phone. “Crap, I have to get back. I have a full afternoon.” She drank the last of her coffee, then gathered up her things. “Let’s have dinner sometime next week.”
“Sounds great. I’ll walk out with you—I have to get back to the office.”
The two friends parted ways after setting a dinner date for the following week. Autumn rushed to her car, and within minutes she was pulling up in front of the clinic.
The afternoon was so busy that it didn’t give her a chance to think about Chains, Bret, or anything except giving the best care to her furry patients.
By the time Autumn finished checking on them in the recovery room, she was exhausted and grateful that Marian was the vet on call for the night. She said goodnight to Rodney and Lauren, then traipsed across the parking lot to her car.
Frost covered the windshield and she cursed under her breath as she scraped it away, making a mental note to keep a pair of gloves in the car. It was a cold night, and the chill reached into her bones. She couldn’t wait to get home and curl up on the couch and enjoy the steady warmth of the fire. Autumn loved watching the flames—they were hypnotizing. It wiped out all thoughts and was a type of meditation for her.
The sky was a matte black canvas with little to no stars painted on it. The smell and feel of snow was in the air, and frost had also covered the bare branches of the trees, making them look like waving alabaster arms.
Autumn pushed the remote for the garage opener and pulled in. She switched off the ignition, jerked the door open, and slid out of the car. With one hand on the roof, she opened the backseat door and pulled out a large tote and her purse. Shoving both straps on one delicate shoulder, Autumn closed the door with her hip, the sound echoing through the garage. An empty water bottle fell from the tote to the ground and she picked it up. Just as she straightened up, someone grabbed her around the waist from behind.
Autumn screamed out, but a hand clamped around her mouth. She struggled, then lifted one leg and kicked back hard.
“Fuck, Autumn!” Bret cried out. “I just want to talk to you.”
She yanked out of his hold and spun around. “What the hell’s wrong with you? Why did you grab me like that?”
“I should be the one asking the questions,” he growled as he bent down and rubbed where she’d kicked him.
“Get out of here. I’ve had a long, hard day, and I don’t want to deal with you.”
“I said I want to talk to you.”
“You should’ve done that before you broke off our engagement. You’re not part of my life anymore, and I don’t have to put up with you.” With one hand on the car, she walked backward.
“I just have one question—were you fucking my brother when we were together?”
White anger shot through her, and she stopped in her tracks. “I told you to get out!”
“I’ll take that as a yes. What kind of a slut are you? Whoring around with Chet and acting like the perfect woman with me. You disgust me.”
“And you’re nothing but a whiny, selfish coward. You weren’t even man enough to breakup with me face to face. I’m actually surprised you didn’t send your mommy to do it. And even though I don’t owe you anything, I wasn’t sleeping with your brother.”
“Lying bitch! I sensed something was off with you, but I never imagined you were betraying me with my brother. No wonder you didn’t want to help me out and support my business venture. How do you think I could ever be married to a woman who didn’t support me and who cheated on me?”
“I never cheated on you. And you’re telling me you broke up because I didn’t hand over fifteen thousand dollars to you? Do you hear how ludicrous that sounds? I offered to help you set up an account to raise the money, but you didn’t want to hear of it.”
“If you loved me you would’ve wanted to work for our future, but you were just playing me.”
“And if you lovedmeyou would’ve talked to me about the problems we were having like a normal person. Chains is the one who came over and told me about the breakup. He’s been the one to support me. Where the hell have you been? Not even a fucking phone call after all the time we were together? You’re like a little boy. Your brother is more of a man than you’ll ever hope to be in fifty lifetimes.”
Bret’s face contorted and turned red. He rushed up to her, his shoulder rolling back. “You fucking bitch!” He punched her in the face with his fist.
At first she was stunned, even as her head lulled and everything went from black to white. When the white receded, the side of her face exploded in pain. As soon as he delivered the second blow she tasted blood, and rage engulfed her. Without thinking, Autumn swung back, clipping him in the throat. Satisfaction rushed through her when she heard him cry out, and she wildly grabbed the nearest thing on the shelf beside her—an empty paint can.
“Fucking slut!” Bret reached out and pulled her hair.
The pain seared through her scalp, but Autumn ignored it, and when he came in closer for another blow, she clobbered him as hard as she could with the empty can and sprinted to the door leading into the house.
Momentarily stunned, Bret cried out, “Get back here. I’ve got shit to settle with you!”